Peeling lips: causes and treatment at home

2024 Author: Leonars Benson | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-01-02 10:38

Many people have flaky lips due to exposure to various factors. It can also happen after using lip balm. In difficult cases, the appearance of cracks, bleeding ulcers. Peeling lips gives a lot of inconvenience to a person. But still the problem is solvable. The causes and treatment of peeling lips in adults and children are described in the article.

What causes this?

Causes of peeling lips can be different. This is usually due to:

• bad weather;
• allergies to cosmetics, toothpaste, foods;
• thin and sensitive skin;
• dry indoor air;
• constant consumption of very hot, sour, s alty, spicy food;
• licking, biting, touching lips habits;
• long-term use of antidepressants or other powerful drugs;
• smoking.

Whatever causes a problem, it causes a lot of inconvenience. Causes of peeling lips may be related to:

• coreduced immunity, lack of vitamins A, C, E, B₂, B₉, B_{12, iron;}
• dehydration;
• runny nose and diseases in which the temperature is elevated;
• protracted depression;
• low hemoglobin, anemia;
• problems with the gastrointestinal tract - dysbacteriosis, ulcers, gastritis, pancreatitis;
• thyroid disease;
• fungal infections;
• lack of sugar in the body;
• diabetes;
• kidney failure;
• hormonal failure in women during pregnancy, menopause, after childbirth.

Another problem appears after cosmetic procedures: tattooing or implantation of fillers. The causes of peeling in the corners of the lips may be different. This is tied up:

• with angulitis;
• herpes;
• mycosis;
• cheilitis;
• weather;
• Fordyce's disease.

If the peeling of the lips is due to the influence of various factors, such as weather conditions or cosmetics, then the problem is eliminated. First you need to get rid of the root cause. Do not go out without applying hygienic lipstick. Do not use expired products and fluoride paste.

When peeling lips, the skin needs to be treated with softening and wound-healing ointments and masks. But the situation becomes more complicated if the problem is in a serious illness. In this case, you need to consult a doctor who will prescribe treatment. If peeling of the lips occurs for no apparent reason, then specialists usually suspect the presence of the initial stage of diabetes mellitus orkidney failure.

When Pregnant

Lips peel during pregnancy due to hormonal changes. This is a common problem. These disruptions leave the skin devoid of oil and elasticity, which protect against dryness.

If that's the only reason, it's normal. In this case, you can eliminate peeling and reduce pain by using home remedies. If the condition of the lips worsens, you should go to the doctor to determine serious violations. It is important to avoid licking and peeling the skin, as this can cause cracking and bleeding.

Additional symptoms

When the skin of the lips is peeling, there are usually other unpleasant manifestations:

• crust;
• cracks;
• itch;
• redness;
• pain when talking, eating;
• rashes;
• burning;
• very dry;
• spread of inflammation.

Usually dryness and slight redness first. Then a thin film appears, which bursts and peels off. For each person, the process can be carried out in different ways: for some, overdried skin disappears, while for others it sticks.

If the problem is not corrected in a timely manner, bleeding cracks and crusts with ulcers may occur. There is an increase in hyperemia of the entire area around the mouth. The consequence may be infection and the spread of inflammation. The pain will gradually increase.

Diagnosis

If you have problems with your lips, you need to consult a dentist, dermatologist,allergist or cosmetologist. To establish the source of the disease, you need to consider:

• frequency of symptoms;
• relationship with external factors - cold, wind, sun rays;
• appearance of symptoms from other organs;
• level of manifestations.

When examining and questioning patients, the doctor can identify the cause even without examination. But then you need confirmation of the diagnosis. For this, blood tests are performed: general, biochemical, for HIV, hepatitis, syphilis, for sugar. If there is a risk of allergy, skin tests are performed to determine the substances that cause such a reaction.

To determine concomitant ailments, instrumental techniques are used: ultrasound of internal organs and lymph nodes, radiography, endoscopy, tomography. In addition to blood tests, skin scrapings and cultures of microorganisms from the lips are needed. Only after a diagnosis can a doctor identify the cause of peeling and prescribe an effective treatment.

What should I do?

Dryness and peeling of the lips must be eliminated immediately. Then the problem is solved at home. If the situation is aggravated by cracks and infection, the help of a dermatologist is needed. In order for the treatment of severe peeling of the lips to be more effective, you need to familiarize yourself with the nuances of care that speed up recovery:

1. We should find out the reason. If it is associated with a disease, then it is required to treat it.
2. 30 minutes before going out, apply moisturizing and protective cosmetics. It can be a balm or lip balm.
3. Usefulvitamin complex.
4. The daily water requirement is 2 liters. Hot drinks should be consumed through a straw. Marinades, spices and seasonings should be limited. The diet should contain foods rich in vitamins A, C, E, B₂, B₉, B_{12, iron.}
5. Scrubs should not be done for a while. When peeling, abrasive components can injure damaged skin.
6. During treatment, you need to be in the cold or heat for a short time. In winter, cover the lower part of the face with a scarf. In summer, be sure to wear a wide-brimmed hat, use lipstick with an SPF filter.
7. It is forbidden to use fluoride-containing pastes, low-quality cosmetics, products with salicylic acid.
8. It is important to control that the air in the room becomes humidified.
9. Need to eliminate the habit of biting, licking lips. Do not remove crusts and skin particles: they will fall off on their own.
10. If you have a bad bite, you need to see an orthodontist.

Lip care must be careful, and then very soon their condition will be restored. Correct treatment will solve the problem. But medicines should be used only as prescribed by a doctor. Folk recipes and medical cosmetics help only at the initial stage, before the formation of cracks and bleeding sores.

Medications

How to get rid of peeling lips? The following drugs may be used for treatment:

1. Homeopathy. These are solutions, tinctures, ointments for peeling lips. Their basis is medicinal plants. The best drugs:Aconitum, Belladonna, Arsenicum album. The products have a strong moisturizing effect, restore tissues, heal cracks, eliminate inflammation, and relieve pain.
2. Anti-burn medicines. Panthenol and Bepanthen ointments can speed up recovery.
3. Hydrocortisone ointment. It provides relief of inflammation, pain relief, elimination of itching, swelling, softening of peeling. You need to use the ointment no more than 2 times a week. It is important that it does not come into contact with the oral mucosa. The ointment should not be used for syphilis, under 2 years of age, viruses, fungi, bacterial infections, ulcers, wounds, abrasions.
4. Vaseline. This is the best and proven remedy that allows you to soften the skin with its strong peeling. Vaseline may be used frequently. The only contraindication is individual intolerance.
5. Vitamins. These include alpha-tocopherol acetate, retinol acetate, "Aevit" in capsules. Lips are smeared with vitamin liquids 3 times a day.

Cosmetics

Lip peeling can be treated with cosmetic products:

1. Smear the skin with baby cream 2 times a day - 30 minutes before going outside and before bedtime.
2. Balms are also used. Mini Green Apple Lip Balm is great for flaking lips. It is important to apply balms regularly to correct the problem.
3. Hygienic lipsticks are used for peeling. Intensive protection is provided by products from the German company Nivea.

Folk remedies

You can also use homemade masks, but subject to the following rules:

1. You should wash your face with warm water.
2. The mouth is blotted with paper tissue.
3. Mask is applied with fingers.
4. Duration of the procedure - 15-30 minutes.
5. Then the mask is washed off with warm water.
6. Apply medicated balm, hydrating serum, or lip balm to lips.

After home masks, it is better not to go outside for 30 minutes. Preferably before bed:

1. You will need sour cream (15 g), which is mixed with warm olive oil (5 ml), lemon juice (5 drops).
2. Need to melt some fresh honey. It is applied to the lips. The duration of the procedure is not limited. With a mask, you can walk at home until the skin stops peeling.
3. Olive oil (20 ml) is heated in a water bath, which must be mixed with beeswax (5 g). The mass melts. Then vaseline (5 g), chamomile decoction (20 ml) is added.
4. Warm sea buckthorn oil (50 ml) mixed with oil vitamins A and E (2-3 capsules).
5. Apple puree and melted butter are mixed in equal amounts.
6. To create a chocolate balm, melt beeswax (5 g), mix with warm oils: cocoa, shea, almond (10 ml each). Cocoa powder (10 g) is also added. The composition is kept in a water bath for 10 minutes. Let it cool until it hardens. The product is stored in the refrigerator for up to 6 months. It is also usedand to soften lips in children.
7. Melt beeswax and butter (10 ml each) to be mixed and used as a mask.
8. It is necessary to melt lard (1 tablespoon), mix with warm liquid honey (30 ml). The product should thicken.
9. Every 3 hours, lips are smeared with sea buckthorn oil.
10. Aloe juice is useful, which is applied as a mask two to three times a day.
11. You can use a used green tea bag.

There is also a healing lip scrub for peeling, which is easy to prepare yourself. Honey should be mixed with soda (1 tsp each), add olive oil (1 tsp). The mixture is applied to the lips for two minutes, and then the residue is removed with a napkin and washed. If the skin is very sensitive, honey can be replaced with ground coffee and cinnamon.

Although folk remedies help to eliminate the problem, it is better to visit a dermatologist so that the therapy is carried out under his supervision. The first two or three days you can use powerful medicinal ointments, then oils and homemade masks are used to eliminate unpleasant symptoms. After two weeks of intensive treatment, it is forbidden to use decorative cosmetics, only medical products are needed - balms and hygienic lipsticks.

Massage for lips

Restore the skin of the lips will allow a light massage. It is done with a soft bristled toothbrush. To prevent damage to delicate skin, it is treated with a greasy cream, petroleum jelly or oil.

Minor movements of the lips are treated 3-4 times a day. With the help of massage, tissue oxygenation is ensured,which improves the delivery of nutrients. But with strong drying, cracking, peeling of the lips, massage cannot be performed. You need to wait for healing so that harmful bacteria do not penetrate.

Peeling

When your lips dry out, peeling is a must. With a thickening of the layer of keratinized cells, there is a violation of the blood supply, and the surface will crack. To eliminate dead particles in a timely manner, the procedure is performed once a week.

If the dryness is severe, a gentle peeling is required, which can be bought at a cosmetic store. It has a weaker effect, so it should be done 2 times a week. You should not be zealous, the fragile epidermis dries out after frequent procedures.

Prevention

To avoid peeling lips, at any time you need to properly care for them. It should be borne in mind that they do not have a fatty layer and the blood vessels there are close to the surface. Therefore, protection can only be ensured through care. Preventive measures will help prevent discomfort in the future:

1. You need to go to the dentist regularly to prevent oral diseases that can lead to flaking. It is important to correct the bite in a timely manner.
2. Exfoliate and massage every week with a soft toothbrush dipped in olive oil. Then any moisturizing mask is applied for 30 minutes.
3. In the morning, lips can be wiped with an ice cube, which is pre-wrapped in 2 layersgauze.
4. You need to use only natural and high-quality cosmetics.
5. Before the street, be sure to apply a balm or hygienic lipstick.
6. You need to eat right and drink enough water.
7. Don't bite or lick your lips.

So, peeling lips is an unpleasant problem. But you can get rid of it if you use effective means. Better yet, avoid flaking by taking proven preventive measures.